After about 6 months of practising my routine (and changing parts of it once or twice) I think I am finally ready to start kids shows. One last thing i would like to ask though is this... I have read seriously silly and it mentions contracts a lot but i was wondering, what is basically in a kids magician contract? I dont mean to sound like i think they dont need one but I want to make sure I have everything. Just the bare necessities (i can word them right later).
Thanks,
Bfan123

il send you mine, you may need to add some stuff regarding child laws in your country, mine is not specific to kids. PM me your email.

Bfan depending on your age and location a contract may or may not be legally binding. My daughter is under 18 and is in the United States, which means she cannot legally sign a contract and have it be binding. Therefore she sends out a confirmation letter detailing the points as she understands them and asks the client to call or email if they find an error. She is always sure to follow up with a call prior to the event to make sure the details have not changed to make sure everything is on track.

I would question the need for a "contract" for many gigs that we do as children’s entertainers. A contract is only worth it if you are willing to go after someone that doesn’t go by it. Would you be willing to take the time to take a bday mom to court? I wouldn’t.

So confirmation letter plus an invoice is all I send. There is nothing for them to sign and return.

I agree! I've never used one for a BD party but I have for businesses mostly after they request it.
I've never been stiffed yet.

Like Sluggo, I have never needed one for birthday parties. I do have one for larger shows though...you can't be too careful in some situations!

I use one for every show. I didn't use one for kid shows for a long time, but people started trying to take advantage of me by trying to treat me as a babysitter. So now I have a contract which specifies that an adult must be present to watch the children.

Always have a contract. I have never performed children shows but I wouldn't show up without a signed contract.

You risk showing up, and being turned away by the parents because it slipped someone's mind to contact you that their plans changed.

Perhaps they ended up going with an entertainer that undercut your price, or went with a different type of entertainer.

Perhaps the kid came down with a flu or chickpox and they had to cancel the party.

And most importantly, there will be no misunderstandings on price.

Treat this as a business, and not a hobby.

And Fallingblood makes a great point. Not just so you don't end up as a babysitter. Have that contract to have an adult present, and also a limitation of liability (in addition to your performers' insurance). So you don't become the victim of a lawsuit. There will be no innapropriate touching claims, and being the only legal adult present in a room full of minors makes you liable and responsible for anything that happens in that room. Child choking, child slips and hits head, cuts themselves on something, pulls a heavy object over on themselves, etc. Have an adult that will take responsibility for the underage guests present at all times.

Anything can happen, and I'm sure you don't want the headaches involved if something does happen.

Sure it's paranoia at it's best, but it will protect you.

She needs to make/call you an officer of her company, so that you can enter into the contract on behalf of the company.

I always call several hours before the show to make sure all is still well. I do not start my show unless an adult is in the room.
Common sense is all it takes. Contract or not they can still change their minds. If I talk to them that day I can find out all I need to know. Only once have I had to tell the Mom that someone has to stay in the room...no problem.
Mostly they stay anyway.
Contracts are not always needed. Common sense will prevail.

Wayno you'd make the parents of a sick kid pay?

That seems a bit harsh to me

Look at it this way pingu:

A performer gets a call to do a party on Saturday at 1pm, he sends over the contract, it's signed, party confirmed.
When the magician goes back home he gets a call for a strolling gig at another venue. The strolling gig is worth twice what the birthday show is, but he's already been booked by the parents so he must turn it down.

Saturday comes around. He shows up at 12:45 and there's no one there. The party was cancelled because the kid has a cold.

Our magician is screwed.

This is another excellent reason to require a deposit to be paid prior to the show.

Private entertainment is not a charity. It is a luxury. Not to mention that by the time your client books, they have already used your services. You have spent time practicing, they probably have your business card, visied your website, you spent time rehearsing, spent time on the phone with them answering their questions, returning phone calls, possibly putting together the right show for them, etc, etc.

Then they cancel on you without notice and you are supposed to feel bad because little Timmy came down with the flu? Or because he's a spoiled kid that was acting up and the parents cancelled the private entertainment to teach him a lesson? Or any other reason?

The entertainment is only a small PART of the service. Your consultation is worth money. Remember, you are running a business.

Then there is the fact that it's probably on the one of two days of the week that are the working days of a children's private entertainer. Saturday and Sunday. Which means if you perform for a living, you definately had to turn down work on that day it is cancelled. You can't get that day back, and you can't get that lost booking back. It is a day that you do not make the money that you require to put the bread on your family's table.

Yeah sorry I see what you mean now lol.

I was thinking in more of a few-shows-every-weekend frame of mind, not professionally.

Even if you're doing a few-shows-every-weekend, if you want to do anymore you should act professional.

Remember this, if someone thinks they can screw you and get away with it - they will.